Alaska

I watch you struggle to lift and carry
The weight of your burdens and responsibilities
On your broken back.
It's turned toward me now,
A side of you I've come to know well.
You won't let me near
I can't even stand beside you
For support and comfort.
You're afraid that you'll fall,
And that your fall will bring me down
As you crash to your blown out knees.

[Chorus Intro:]
You have to be alone...
You have to test your own strength

[Chorus:]
Selfishly, I wish you'd just stop
And be selfish, too
And pretend those burdens aren't there
And let me near you.

You made the burdens the size they are
Why do you do this to yourself?
Don't you know that I will stand by your side
With the strength you already have?
But if that's not good enough for you,
Then it can't be good enough for anyone else.
I watch your back and wonder,
Should I stay here and hope
That you will beat the weight
And want me by your side once again?
Or is your back a sign of where I will always be in your life?

[Chorus Intro:]
You have to be alone...
You have to test your own strength

[Chorus:]
Selfishly, I wish you'd just stop
And be selfish, too
And pretend those burdens aren't there
And let me be near you.

It's so hard not to breathe in
The same air that you exhale
I know you want me to leave
But where else am I supposed to go?
We all learn through different ways of life
Your way
is not mine.
It's to fall down until I know
How much weight I can handle
And if someone is too near
And they fall down with me
We help each other stack the burdens up
And try again
UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT!

[Chorus Intro:]
You have to be alone...
You have to test your own strength

[Chorus:]
Selfishly, I wish you'd just stop
And be selfish, too
And pretend those burdens aren't there
And let me be near you.

Your standards
Will be the death of you
And that will be the death of me
I can't bear to watch
Or be the cause of your fall
I'll just sit here and wait
With eyes shut tight
Until someone pulls me to my feet.
I wish it would be you
But I saw already the line forming
To vie to be with me.

[Bridge:]
If they drag me out from your presence,
So be it.
Maybe you'll be sad to see that I'm not
Sitting in the corner waiting
Or maybe you'll think it's better this way
Or maybe you won't notice or care.

[Chorus Intro:]
You have to be alone...
You have to test your own strength

[Chorus:]
Selfishly, I wish you'd just stop
And be selfish, too
And pretend those burdens aren't there
And let me be near you.

[Refrain:]
In any case
You know where to find me
Should you ever decide
That you'd like me by your side.
Until then,
I'll try to understand
And smile for you.

~L. J. Arien